The powder room is a unique little space in our homes often overlooked and neglected. Your pedestal sink and sad, builder-grade mirror offer little welcome or warmth to anyone upon entry. Powder rooms are mainly for your guests, and I tell my clients that they are an extension of your hospitality.

A trip to your powder room should be an experience that makes them feel special. The space should look luxe and set apart. Don’t let your loo be bleakly blasé. I call my powder room look “The Jewel Box Effect.” There are four key elements in executing this treatment that I’d like to share:

1.

Bold wallpaper (gown): A powder room is a place for a brief visit. Let it be a memorable one. Be bold, and treat the space with special wallpaper. For those of you who just had flashbacks to steaming off several layers of harvest gold sunrise or avocado nightmare from your kitchen in the ’90s, let’s take deep breaths together. Paper is back with a vengeance, and has a new look.

There are many beautiful varieties to choose from. This element is the stunning evening gown that sets the stage for the entire look. Make a statement and create the first and most crucial layer of the jewel box effect.

2.

Statement mirror (pearls): If your wallpaper is the evening gown, your mirror should be the pearls. Scale is important in a small space. Make sure your mirror is not wider than your counter or pedestal sink, but also make sure it’s not the hunk

of glass the builder bolted to the wall. Choose an interesting frame to offset the paper. Personally, I’m mad for Venetian mirrors like I put in this powder room for my client.

The mirrored frame adds detail and shape without bringing in another material or finish to the space.

3.

Chandelier (earrings): Now that we have a beautiful gown and pearls, let’s add the earrings. It may seem crazy to squeeze a chandelier in a powder room. However, they make smaller-scale versions for just this purpose, and the result is dazzling. The light in a powder room doesn’t have to be super functional like in

a bathroom. A muted light cast through crystal at night is the

crown of the jewel box effect.

4.

Luxe floor (stilettos): No evening ensemble is complete without a pair of stilettos. You should love to look down and enjoy the foundation of your jewel box effect: a beautiful floor.

Marble mosaic is my favorite choice, but there are infinite varieties of high-end tile to make the space look its best. With the average powder room coming in around just 20 square feet, it’s a minimal investment to go high end in the space with materials that might break the bank in your master bath. A small investment brings in something special and completes the jewel box effect in your space.

Create a moment of enveloping beauty and luxury in your powder room for both you and your guests to enjoy for years to come. With steps 1, 2, 3, and 4, and a plan in place, you’ve got it all.

Matt Heincker is a Carmel interior designer. He can be reached at heinckerdesign.com or (317) 645-8015.